The Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers game will be played on Friday, December 13, 2024, at 8:00 PM ET at Target Center. The Timberwolves are currently sitting in ninth place in the Western Conference with a 12-11 record. They were on a nice little two-game winning streak after taking down the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors, but their recent game against Golden State didn’t go their way, and they lost 106-114.
As for the Lakers, they’ve kind of lost their mojo recently. After being in the top 5 of the Western Conference, they’ve dropped to 8th place with a 13-11 record. They did manage to break a three-game losing streak with a win over the Portland Trail Blazers, 107-98. The Lakers and Timberwolves faced off earlier this season on December 2, and the Timberwolves totally dominated, winning 109-80, but this wasn’t exactly the case when they met earlier this season on October 22 as the Lakers won 110-103. Overall, the two teams have played each other 131 times in the regular season, with the Lakers leading the series 86-45.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers: Preview
The Timberwolves have been thriving on defense this season, ranking fourth in the NBA by allowing just 107.0 points per game. However, their offense has been less impressive, sitting 20th in the league, averaging 110.5 points per game. They’re also pulling down 42.3 rebounds per game, ranking 24th, while allowing the same amount, which is seventh-best in the league. Minnesota has been strong from beyond the arc, hitting 15.2 three-pointers per game (sixth in the NBA) with a 37.5% shooting percentage, ranking 10th.
The Lakers, on the other hand, are struggling with both scoring and defense this season. They average 112.1 points per game but allow 115.8, placing them 18th in offense and 21st in defense. Los Angeles has also been weak on the boards, ranking 4th-worst in rebounds per game (40.3) and 19th in rebounds allowed (44.3). From three-point range, they hit 11.7 shots per game, shooting 35.2%, which places them 23rd and 18th in the league, respectively.
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Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers: Odds And Best Bets
The Timberwolves have played 23 games this season, and 11 of those have gone over the 217-point total for this game. They’re averaging 220.1 points per game, which is a bit above the over/under for this matchup. Against the spread, they’ve struggled with a 9-14 record. When they’re favored, they’ve won 12 of their 21 games (57.1% win rate). If you look at when they’re favored by a larger spread of -275 or more, they’re doing a little better at 6-3 (66.7% win rate). The money line for this game gives them a 73.3% chance to win.
Meanwhile, the Lakers have gone over the 217-point total in 17 of their 24 games. They average 112.1 points per game, which is a lot higher than this game’s over/under of 217. However, they’re 10-14 against the spread this season and have only won 2 out of 10 games as underdogs. The moneyline gives them just a 31% chance to win this one.
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The Timberwolves have been inconsistent, going 5-5 in their last 10 games and 4-6 against the spread, with three games hitting the over; they perform slightly better on the road (6-6 ATS) than at home (3-8) while averaging 110.5 points per game, thriving at 6-0 when surpassing 115.8 points. On the other hand, the Lakers are struggling with a 3-7 record overall and against the spread in their last 10 games, with only three overs; they fare better at home (6-5 ATS) than on the road (4-9) and average 112.1 points per game, boasting a 10-4 record when scoring over 107 points.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers: Head-To-Head Stats
The Timberwolves and Lakers have faced off several times recently, and Minnesota dominated the last 13 games spanning the last four seasons. In the ongoing 2024-2025 season, the Timberwolves grabbed a convincing 109-80 win on December 2, 2024, after a 103-110 loss to the Lakers on October 22. Last season, Minnesota won three of their six meetings with the Lakers, including a 127-117 victory on April 7, 2024, and a narrow 108-106 win on December 30, 2023. However, the Lakers won on March 10, 2024, with a 120-109 victory.
During the 2022-2023 season, the Timberwolves dominated, winning three out of four games, including a 111-102 victory on October 28, 2022, and a 124-104 win on March 16, 2022. The Lakers’ only win in that stretch came on March 31, 2023, when they won 123-111. The Timberwolves were dominant in the 2021-2022 season, winning four out of five games, including 110-92 on December 17, 2021, and 107-83 on November 12, 2021. The Lakers’ only win came on January 2, 2022, in a close 108-103 game.
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